Organizers of the 2017 American Boating Congress, which is set for May 15-17, released details about the speakers for the event.
In addition to the keynote speaker, CNN correspondent Jake Tapper, who is slated to speak May 16 at the ABC luncheon, the National Marine Manufacturers Association identified nine additional decision makers who will speak on May 17 during the General Session.
U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., born to Cuban exiles who fled Fidel Castro’s regime in the 1960s, was elected to represent Florida’s 26th district in 2014 and is serving on the House Ways and Means Committee.
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., was recently sworn in for a third term serving the 13th District of Illinois, a 14-county district that covers urban and rural areas of central and southwestern Illinois. He serves on the House Agriculture Committee, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Administration Committee. He also has been appointed to serve as chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research.
U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., co-chairman of the Congressional Boating Caucus, serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Banking Committee, the Agriculture Committee and the Aging Committee.
U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., serves as co-chairwoman of the Congressional Boating Caucus and was the first woman to represent Florida’s 22nd District, which covers Palm Beach County. She was elected co-chairwoman of the Congressional Women’s Caucus for the 115th Congress and she serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Foreign Affairs committees.
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., joined the House in 2009 and serves on the House Armed Services and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.
U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves, R-La., sits on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Natural Resources, and was named chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
That subcommittee oversees water resources development and regulatory programs administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency.
U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., is co-chairman of the Congressional Boating Caucus and serves on the House Committee on Financial Services, where his top priority will be reforming the National Flood Insurance Program to provide Jersey Shore residents with certainty for the future.
Paul Rauch, assistant director of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is responsible for the administration and oversight of federal grant programs that provide more than $1 billion of funding to help conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, their habitats and the hunting, sport fishing and recreational boating opportunities they provide.
Rear Adm. Paul Thomas of the Coast Guard serves as assistant commandant for prevention policy, overseeing three Coast Guard directorates — inspection and compliance, marine transportation systems, and commercial regulations and standards.
